At the 2026 IT Indaba, Africa’s biggest IT conference and expo, technology leaders learnt how smarter cloud strategies can keep costs in check – while still unlocking AI value

At the 2026 IT Indaba, tech leaders were challenged to uncover AI’s untapped potential – by looking at their business’s unexplored ‘wild sides’.

Attendees at the 2026 IT Indaba, Africa’s largest IT conference and expo, learnt how to drive AI success as shadow IT becomes harder to control.

Mark Williams-Wynn didn’t plan for a career in e-waste recycling. Today, as CTO of EWaste Africa, he's combining engineering, AI, and innovation to help tackle one of South Africa's fastest-growing environmental challenges.

Hanlie de Bod-Leaf never planned a career in technology. But as CIO at Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, she's combining her love of problem-solving and innovation to build digital solutions that connect millions of young South Africans with much-needed work opportunities.

Kuben Nair, CTO at Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, once thought IT wasn’t for him. But his career path eventually brought him back to tech – this time with purpose: helping South African youth realise their potential.

Wilma Crosson, CIO at Volkswagen Financial Services (VWFS) South Africa, says her passion for innovation and data keeps her motivated in times of rapid tech change.

Entelect’s manager: solution architecture, Greg Schroder, says aligning technology with business strategy drives meaningful modernisation, especially when navigating legacy systems and enterprise digital transformation.

Cassava Technologies’ South Africa and Botswana CEO, Ziaad Suleman, emphasises that digital infrastructure is the foundation of digital transformation. Connectivity, coupled with sovereign data hosting powered by AI GPU computational power, along with practical use cases, is crucial for unlocking opportunities across industries and the continent.

What can South African enterprises learn from CIOs who have navigated IT landscapes across the globe, especially when it comes to shared services? This was a key question posed during a panel discussion at the recent 2025 IT Indaba.

At the inaugural IT Indaba, Jannie Malan, Workday South Africa’s solution consulting manager, showcased how Workday is evolving into a dynamic platform, positioning the ERP as a powerful tool that helps CIOs leverage AI agents and processes.

Bidvest Bank CIO Nomonde White-Ndlovu launched the 2025 IT Indaba with an impassioned keynote address, emphasising the need for CIOs to redefine their role, and be the architects of the future.

Winjit South Africa’s associate vice president for sales and business development, Stu Chalmers, says a technology partner should guide businesses through scalable, step-by-step strategies that minimise disruption and maximise long-term value.

A self-described ‘techie’ and ‘curious learner’, Obey, Redefine Properties’ head of information systems, constantly pursues growth. The MBA candidate’s background in commerce and his drive to innovate make him the kind of leader all businesses need: a strategic, big-picture thinker. He shares why he deploys new technology gradually – and that IT doesn’t bite.

Empact’s IT technical team lead Danie du Preez shares his journey from working in nature to leading technical solutions, and how he balances innovation with practical business needs.

Josiah Moloi, PPS sector CIO: shared services, says his goal is to connect people, simplify complexity and bridge two worlds.

From psy-ops to undersea traffic exchanged through the web, Clinix Health Group CIO Andrew Roberts still maintains that it is the upliftment of people that remains his biggest career – and personal – reward.

The CIO’s passion for teaching and tech has shaped a two-decade IT career.

Al Baraka Bank’s Omar Khayyam Karim shares his success story.

Zoom Fibre's CIO says that IT found him – and the best is yet to come.